


Stupid, Bad Jokes

by fanatic_scribe



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Affairs, Angst, Eddie cheats on Myra, Fighting, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, with richie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:08:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22549846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanatic_scribe/pseuds/fanatic_scribe
Summary: Richie makes a joke about his and Eddie's affair on stage.Based on my friend's tiktokhttps://vm.tiktok.com/Vu814P/
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 6
Kudos: 94





	Stupid, Bad Jokes

**Author's Note:**

> I don't normally write angst so lets see how this goes
> 
> This is based on my friend's tiktok so check it out!  
> https://vm.tiktok.com/Vu814P/

_ “As you all know I’m no longer in the closet. Yeah, it’s great it really is, I have a boyfriend now, and he’s great; hates my jokes. We go on dates, he comes to my shows and sometimes we even spend the night together. So yeah, it’s been great; only problem is his wife doesn’t know yet, but we are bad at sneaking around so…..” _

* * *

There are moments as a comedian that you realize you fucked up a joke. Whether it was the delivery, the punchline or maybe it was the entire joke altogether. Richie had a few in his career so he knew how to deal with the backlash.

However, this joke was pretty unreadable. A gentle mix of both laughs and oooo’s. One thing Richie could feel from the stage was how it didn’t go well with one specific audience member.

  
  


The show was over now, nothing could be done to take back the joke and he was relived for that. Part of him knew that joke wouldn’t turn out well but he still decided to keep it in. He had already come out publicly and that turned out ok so what was the big deal with this? Richie was glad he told the joke.

So then why was his heart pounding while his stomach was in the back of his throat?

He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a long sigh as his eyes glanced over the room. A glass of bourbon resting on his desk caught his eye; he'd gotten it before the show started and somehow forgotten about it. . He swallowed thickly before walking over to the glass and downing the contents in one go; feeling the liquid burn as it passed his lips. Hopefully, this would quell his nerves, at least for a bit.

  
  


Just then there was a knock at the door, sharp and quick against the door to Richie’s dressing room. Richie knew who it was, he wasn’t ready for this yet so he stared at his reflection in the mirror of his dressing room instead of answering the door. He looked tired, and he was. He was tired of not getting sleep, he was tired of having to work so hard to write his own material, and he was tired of sneaking around.

There were another few knocks, this time heavy and dripping with anger, “Richie, open the fucking door.” Eddie sounded pissed even though he was trying to remain calm, Richie leaned forward against the desk and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t ready for this, “I know you’re in there dickwad.” Richie took a deep breath. He knew this was coming when he wrote the joke; part of him knew this would be the reaction. He thought he would have been ready. Richie set the empty glass on the desk.

He wished he could get another before having to do this. “Yeah, come in Spaghetti man.” Alarms saying, 'not the time', went off in Richie’s head. The warning was a bit too late to actually be helpful, instead, it just made his stomach clench with anxiety. He really wished he had another drink.

Richie watched as Eddie opened the door through the mirror. Eddie scanned the room for a second before his dark gaze landed on Richie, his brows furrowed angrily as he slammed the door behind him. “So,” Richie said as he turned and leaned against the desk, “you enjoy the show?” another set of alarms in his brain went off as he saw an already impossibly angry Eddie start to boil over.

Bad timing.

  
  


“What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

“So you didn’t-”

“Shut the fuck up!”

Richie thought about pointing out that he was asked a question, but it’s not like he was actually going to give an answer, 

“I can’t believe you did that.” 

Eddie paced the room as his hand flailed with words, he must be beyond pissed. “Of all the dumb shit you have ever done this is the dumbest. Really fucking stupid of you, fucking idiot.”

Now Richie was starting to feel anger starting to fester in him,

“Fuck, if you want to talk let’s talk about it you don’t have to berate me. You don’t have to call me stupid.”

“Oh no, this is beyond stupid Richie.” Eddie turned now to face Richie, the intensity in his face was enough to almost stun him. 

“You have invented a new kind of stupid. A, damage you can never undo, kind of stupid.” He took a step closer, “An, open all the cages in the zoo kind of stupid. Truly you didn’t think this through, kind of stupid.” 

Eddie was now standing just an arm’s length away. His face in a relaxed scowl and he glared up at Richie.

“Eddie it wasn’t that-”

“Wasn't that bad?!” Eddie almost yelled, “Ok lets review-”

“I didn’t say your name,” Richie cut off Eddie and stood tall, “no one knows it’s no big deal.”

“It doesn’t matter who knows! This is our private life, my private life, and you put it on stage. As a fucking joke!”

“You told me I could tell stories about us on stage as long as I didn’t mention you by name and it was funny.”

“And you don’t think my marital status is specific?!”

“No one. Knows. It’s. You.” Richie punched at the words for emphasis. “If anything I’ll get in trouble for being a homewrecker.”

They had worked very hard to make sure this stayed a secret. As far as the losers knew, Richie was single and the jokes were just to cement himself into and be taken seriously in the LGBT community. No one knew it was really about Eddie. And no one in Eddie’s life would even suspect he was gay, especially not Myra. It took time but Richie and Eddie started feeling so comfortable in this that Richie asked to mention their dates on stage if it was a joke.

  
  


Eddie turned away and rubbed at the bridge of his nose while taking a deep breath, then he mumbled something that Richie could just hardly hear. “What?”

Eddie took another deep breath, “Bev will.”

“What do you mean?” Richie hesitated.

“I told her. Well not about us, I told her I was seeing someone.” Eddie turned back to face Richie who was frozen in place, “I said it was a woman but Bev is smart she will realize after your fucking joke that it’s you.”

Richie could feel something in his chest snap, can’t remember the last time he felt like he was sinking like this yet all he could do was laugh. It started as a chuckle that slowly grew into a full belly laugh, Eddie looking on in rage. 

“Is this a fucking joke to you?”

“I’m sorry,” Richie said through laughs, “it’s just. I don't give a fuck who knows and you," he chuckled again, "you were ok with being a cheater but not ok with it being with me.” Eddie looked shocked, “It’s pretty rich.”

“Don’t say that. It has nothing to do with that.”

“Why did you say it was with a woman?”

“Richie-”

“Did she ask or did you say it?”

  
  


Silence. But it was all the answer anyone needed.

“Is this all?” Richie scoffed, “You tell her you cheated but not with a man. What am I to you, Eddie?”

“Richie this isn’t the time,” Eddie sighed, “I’m still pissed about that stunt you pulled. I think we should just get some rest.” Eddie reached for Richie's hand, “We can finish this in the morning.” 

“No,” Richie pulled his hand away, his voice almost monotone, “Eddie you keep saying you’ll end it and I know it’s hard. I love you.” Richie could feel his throat tighten as tears threatened to spill, “I almost fucking lost you, Eddie. You were fucking dead in my arms and all I could think of was how I never told you that I've loved you for so long. I was willing to be with you anyway until you accepted yourself.” 

Richie walked past Eddie leaving his back to him as he felt tears fill his eyes. 

“I was wrong.” He felt some tears spill, “I can’t keep fucking doing this Eds. I can’t keep sneaking around and you saying it'll be over soon. Am I enough for you like you’re enough for me?”

  
  


Eddie stood there in silence for what felt like an eternity, “Richie.” Eddie’s voice almost made Richie jump, “You had no right to say that joke and you know why I can’t leave.” His voice sounded strained but Richie couldn’t tell if it was tears or anger as he walked over to the door and grabbed the handle, “We will talk about this later.”

As Eddie opened the door and took a step out Richie felt uneasy and numb, alone in this too quite and too bright room.

Yeah, that was a really stupid, dumb joke.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed that!
> 
> Thanks to the beta! "a girl called Alana"


End file.
